A high-speed run down Irvington Boulevard in north Houston ended in tragedy Friday afternoon when a red Dodge Ram 1500 lost control, smashed through a fence and into a utility pole, and threw both people inside from the truck, according to police. The driver later died at the hospital, and the passenger, a 33-year-old woman, was taken in critical condition.
What Houston police say
Houston police say the crash happened around 4:40 p.m. Friday in the 6700 block of Irvington Boulevard, where a southbound Dodge Ram 1500 was barreling along at a high rate of speed. According to the City of Houston Newsroom, HPD Vehicular Crimes Division Sgt. M. Barrow and Officer T. Johnson reported that the truck lost control, hit a fence and then a pole, and that both occupants were ejected. Emergency crews rushed both victims to a nearby hospital in critical condition, and the driver was later pronounced dead.
Victim identified
"The deceased male is identified as Alberto Martinez, 44," the department stated in its release posted to the City of Houston Newsroom. Officials have not said what might have led to the loss of control, and investigators with the Vehicular Crimes Division are still working the case and collecting evidence from the scene. As reported by MyTexasDaily, crews shut down parts of the roadway Friday evening while they investigated and cleared the wreckage.
Where this happened and why it matters
Irvington Boulevard runs north to south through the Northside and Northline neighborhoods and has long had a reputation as a trouble spot for speeding and serious crashes. Walk and Roll Houston points to the corridor as a busy through-route for both drivers and people on foot and has pushed for design changes at some of its more dangerous intersections. Local outlet Click2Houston has also covered major crashes near the I-610 and Irvington interchange in recent years, a reminder of how quickly a speeding vehicle can turn this stretch of road into a disaster zone.
The Vehicular Crimes Division is still investigating, and the case is listed under incident number 062918126-H. No charges have been announced, and police say more information will be released as the probe moves forward.
